This week, news broke that global sperm counts may be plunging, and that one U.S. state has reportedly begun sterilizing inmates in exchange for shorter sentences.

In White County, Tennessee, inmates now have the option to volunteer for sterilization in order to reduce their jail time by up to a month. As the Washington Post reported, dozens of inmates have reportedly already signed up for the operations as part of the "highly unorthodox and probably unconstitutional deal," drawing criticism from legal and human rights advocates.